G8 University Students’ Summit, Palermo 8 and 9 May, 2009

Congratulations to Davis Chiu, a PhD candidate in CHBE, who has been selected to represent Canada at the 2009 G8 University Students’ Summit in Palermo Italy at the Istituto Siciliano di Storia Patria, along with a student from the University of Alberta . The UBC President will sponsor Davis’s attendance at the conference. Students selected from prestigious universities of the countries involved in the G8 Summit will actively participate in creating world-wide development strategies at the Summit. The students will be called upon to participate in a debate revolving around the possibility of harmonious and sustainable growth all over the world with culture, lawfulness and dignity all playing a key role.

Within the activities of the 2009 G8 Summit the Italian government wants to guarantee young people an important role. This is where the G8 University Summit comes in. The Presidents and Rectors of a number of prestigious universities from the countries involved will gather in Turin from 17 to 19 May 2009. In order to allow the students’ voice to be heard, the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), together with Italy’s UNESCO Commission (CNI) have organized the G8 University Students’ Summit in Palermo for 8 and 9 May at the Istituto Siciliano di Storia Patria. Here university students will be called to take part actively in elaborating worldwide development strategies. The young protagonists’ debates will revolve around the possibility of harmonious and sustainable growth all over the world, culture, lawfulness and dignity all playing a key role. UNESCO has been involved for years developing these themes through specific programs and Conventions.